Joe
by LadyPaige
Summary: Oliver meets Slade's son for the first time.


**This was for Arrow Kink Meme on livejournal.**

**"Slade and Oliver are together and Oliver meets Slade's son for the first time ever "**

**In a way this is kind of a sister story to Little One, where Oliver is pregnant with Slade's child.**

**Please note that I am still working on my other two stories. Beyond Description is being read over and I'm having real bad writers block with Little one so I took a break to write something else.**

**Merry Christmas!**

* * *

Oliver sat at the kitchen table of Slade's house. It was a large two story house in Albany, a port city in Western Australia, more a large town really. The furniture was simple minus the bounty of children's toys that littered the house. It even had a balcony and a basement, where Slade kept his weaponry. The house had been understandably dusty and Oliver had spent the last few hours cleaning the place from top to bottom, listening to one of Slade's CDs in the radio as he did so.

After Fryers and Ivo, both Sara and Oliver were unable to return home in case they were followed. Yao Fei and Shado were also unable to return due to Yao Fei's past. Using Ivo's boat to escape, they released the prisoners abort the ship and met with Anatoli, who turned out to be Anatoli Knyazev; leader of the Solntsevskaya Bratva, also known as the Russian mafia. In return for keeping Oliver's promise, Anatoli kept them save.

Getting in contact with ASIS, they flew the five to New South Wales and after mouths of questioning, they were released. Sara, Shado and Yao Fei were given a save house to stay in for the time being and Slade was able to return home after being gone for two and a half years. He brought Oliver with him.

* * *

- Liànyù -

"Oliver." Slade gasped.

Oliver knelt down to the Australian. The older man's face was half blacken by the healing mixture Shado had smothered on it and his eyes were bloodshot, his dark brown irises small rings around his dilated pupils. He was dying, they all knew it.

"Please do everything you can to make sure my son is looked after." Slade told Oliver, his voice husky, border line torn. "I don't want him to be alone any longer."

Oliver shook his head at the older man, too high on adrenaline to pay attention to the sorrow he was feeling. "You **will** be there for him, you hear me?" Oliver curled his fingers ever so gently around Slade's hand, "But yes I will. I promise."

Slade's eyes soften, still determined but barely, "I'm sorry." he said, his low voice coming out no more than a whisper.

"For what?" Oliver asked.

Slade was too weak to even smile as he said, "For not telling you how I really feel."

Oliver's eyes widened, "Y-you..." Oliver squeezed his eyes shut. They opened as he felt Slade's other hand at his cheek. "You better live."

Slade smiled, no matter how much it hurt.

Oliver smiled back. He turned to Shado and nodded, ignoring the looks on their faces. He turned back to Slade. Forgetting that Ivo was on his way and Yao Fei was hopefully close. Oliver just looked into those pained eyes and hoped, prayed that Slade would survive.

* * *

Oliver rubbed his hand over his face. He hated seeing Slade die and like that just made it worse but the man had survived yet again. Stubborn bastard. They were really lucky that none of them never mentioned Ivo or the Mirakuru that ran through Slade's veins.

At the sound of the front door slamming shut, Oliver sprang up. Running to the mirror he combed back his overly long hair to smooth it out as much as possible. He span around checking that everything was clean and in place. Lastly he turned to the two foot high stuffed giraffe sitting at the table, on one of the chairs. "Good, Good." he nodded, a smile on his lips.

He took a deep breath and walked into the living room, just after he did so Slade with a children's backpack over his shoulder, walked in. Holding his hand was his five-year old son, Joey.

"Hi." Joey waved.

Oliver's eyes boggled.

He was a brave one. His skin was tanned but likely more due to play outside in the Australian sunny weather. His hair was dark brown, like black hair ever so slightly tinted brown but his eyes were dark brown, near jet black. Just like Slade's.

He was wearing a par of black school shorts, a white polo shirt with the school logo on his chest, a pair of black shoes and a leather jacket that his dad had given him.

"Hi." Oliver waved back, "I'm Oliver." he crouched down so he was at the boy's level and held out a hand. "I'm a friend of your dad's."

"He told me." Joey grinned, grabbing Oliver hand and shaking it.

Oliver laughed, "You look just like your dad, wearing that." he said pointing at the jacket as Joey released his hand.

Joey flicked up the collar, his grin growing, bright white teeth on show.

Slade patted his son's back, "Oliver is going to be living with us. He got you something too."

Oliver looked up to Slade, giving the older man an odd look. Then he remembered the toy and he smiled at the man. "Yeah. Want me to show you?" he asked the five-year old.

Joey nodded.

Oliver gave the child a determined look and nodded, before getting up and holding his arm out to the kitchen.

Joey followed and upon seeing the toy he ran towards it and grabbed it. "Thanks!"

Slade rested his hand on Oliver's lower back, smiling as Oliver leant his shoulder against his chest.

* * *

The following morning, as Slade was passing a cup of coffee to his other half, he asked his son, "Has he got a name yet?"

Joe raised a brow at his father but quickly realised he was asking about the giraffe that sat on the chair next to him. He turned to the giraffe, inspecting it.

Oliver smiled at the little Aussie. After spending a whole week together, for Joey to get used to having his father back before returning to school, Oliver found that the young boy seemed to accept Oliver into their family quite quickly.

Joey had only been two and half when Slade had to leave. Slade did not want to go but he was part of ASIS and the mission was not suppose to play out like it did. He needed the money, he still did. He did not like leaving Joey in foster care but there was no one else to care for him. They all left the house together and in those moments that Slade just had to pop out, Joe stayed with Oliver which his son did not really seemed to mind. He'd really had taken a liking to the blonde.

"Ollie."

Oliver looked up, it had been a long time since he's heard his nickname. "Um?"

Joe smirked at the blonde and shook his little head, "No." he said. He pointed at the large toy, "Ollie."

Oliver blinked, a little stunned. For a brief moment he thought about how much Joey looked like his father right now.

Slade smiled, "Because he's stupidly tall and blonde, too?"

Joe nodded.

Oliver crossed his arms, "How is it that you two must turn a compliment into an insult?" he sighed, dramatically. It was then however that Oliver realised that, that was why Slade had got a giraffe toy. In his own little way, Slade was good at making Oliver feel warm inside.

"Ready for school?" Slade asked his son.

Joe nodded again, although a slight frown was appearing across his lips.

"Hey Joe?" Slade span to his side in his seat so that he was facing his son.

"Yes dad?"

"Do you know what giraffes and horses have in common?"

Oliver held his tongue, wanting to ask why Slade was giving them a riddle this early in the morning.

"What?" Joe asked, leaning forward.

"They both can be ridden." Slade said, "But," he whispered, "you have to ask nicely."

Oliver bit his lip to hold down the laugh. Looking over to Joe his saw the world's largest puppy dog eyes.

"Oliver." Joe said, "Can we go for a ride?" He remembered his father's words, adding "Please."

Oliver smiled, he moved to the floor, sitting on his knees, "Climb abort."

Joe smiled brightly and ran over to Oliver, hopping on to his back; arms locking around Oliver's neck and his legs resting on Oliver's hips.

"Up we go." Oliver grunted, standing up.

Joey laughed and looked over Oliver's shoulder to see the sheer height the blonde had taken them to. "You could reach any shelf." he gasped.

Oliver had to laugh at that.

Slade just sat back, watching his two favourite people in the world bond. He grabbed Joey's backpack and swung in over his shoulder. "Come on you two, we've got a school to get to."

Oliver turned to Slade, Joey laughing as he swung around. He wanted Oliver to go too?

Slade smiled and took Oliver's hand in his.

Oliver smiled back.

The three of them left the house (Slade locking up behind them) and walked down to where the school was. It would be a forty minute walk and at some point they likely run out of time in the mornings and use Slade's car but for now the three just enjoyed the walk.

Oliver squeezed Slade's hand and got a squeeze back, his other hand on Joe's leg to help the child keep his grip. Oliver really liked being part of this little family.


End file.
